Narrative:

While performing an annual inspection I noted that the navigation lights; beacon light and instrument lighting was rendered inoperative by persons unknown in the past. Upon inspection I noted that the associated switches and circuit breakers had been removed. During my logbook research phase of the inspection I noted that the #1 airframe logbook of 2 was not included in the documentation provided to me by the owner operator. I nevertheless returned the aircraft to service assuming that whoever removed and disabled the aircraft lighting had certainly made an appropriate log entry. Upon further logbook research at a later date I noted that there was no log entry for the light system removal. The cause of this problem was my desire to complete the inspection based on the customer's schedule. I will prevent this from occurring again by not returning the aircraft to service until I have reviewed all of the documents. It has come to my attention as an inspector that many aircraft owner operators lose track of archived documents and feel that only the most current maintenance logs are required to perform annual inspections.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA25 DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION THE NAV LIGHTS; BEACON LIGHT AND INST LIGHTING WERE RENDERED INOP WITH NO LOGBOOK ENTRY. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITHOUT COMPLETE LOGBOOK RESEARCH.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION I NOTED THAT THE NAV LIGHTS; BEACON LIGHT AND INST LIGHTING WAS RENDERED INOP BY PERSONS UNKNOWN IN THE PAST. UPON INSPECTION I NOTED THAT THE ASSOCIATED SWITCHES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAD BEEN REMOVED. DURING MY LOGBOOK RESEARCH PHASE OF THE INSPECTION I NOTED THAT THE #1 AIRFRAME LOGBOOK OF 2 WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO ME BY THE OWNER OPERATOR. I NEVERTHELESS RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC ASSUMING THAT WHOEVER REMOVED AND DISABLED THE ACFT LIGHTING HAD CERTAINLY MADE AN APPROPRIATE LOG ENTRY. UPON FURTHER LOGBOOK RESEARCH AT A LATER DATE I NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO LOG ENTRY FOR THE LIGHT SYS REMOVAL. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROB WAS MY DESIRE TO COMPLETE THE INSPECTION BASED ON THE CUSTOMER'S SCHEDULE. I WILL PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN BY NOT RETURNING THE ACFT TO SVC UNTIL I HAVE REVIEWED ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION AS AN INSPECTOR THAT MANY ACFT OWNER OPERATORS LOSE TRACK OF ARCHIVED DOCUMENTS AND FEEL THAT ONLY THE MOST CURRENT MAINT LOGS ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.